Sleeping Beauty
by Clumsy Darknut
Summary: Linked Universe - The heroes get talking about women after meeting Sky's Zelda, and discover Sky isn't the only romantic in the party. A fluff one-shot for Hyrule Week 2019.


"Your Zelda is super nice, Sky!" Wind sang giddily. Sky smiled and put a hand to the back of his neck. The crew had just finished their visit to Sky's small cottage. When they had found themselves in this Hyrule at the beginning of ages, the man had been _ecstatic_. They'd been on their journeyings for almost two months now, and it was clear to see that the Skyloftian had sorely missed his princess.

Hyrule could relate to that sentiment. But he also wasn't too keen on subjecting the group to his monster-ridden kingdom – or subjecting _himself_ either – so he tried to quell his heartache.

"She reminded me a lot of Mipha," Wild hummed.

"Mipha?" Legend laughed. "That fish girl?"

Wild scowled. "She's was a _Zora Princess_. And a badass."

Sky tilted his head. "'Was'?"

The mood of the group suddenly turned somber, the heroes coming to a halt, as Wild dropped his gaze to the forest floor. Legend's eyes went as wide as saucers.

"She's gone now." Wild's voice was slow and soft. "I don't even remember her that well. But I know that she loved me a lot. I don't remember if I loved her back, but she was kind, and smart, and amazing with a trident." He gave a small sigh, and lifted his head to meet Sky's gaze. "But it's okay. It was really nice to meet your Zelda and be reminded of Mipha's grace."

Sky smiled. "I'm glad."

"What about your Zelda, Wild?" Warriors asked. "We haven't met her yet. What's she like?"

Wild's face broke into a devious grin. "Let's just say her intellect is bigger than your ego."

Raucous laugher filled the clearing where they had stopped, Warriors' mouth dropping open for an appalled glare. As the somber mood vanished, they began walking again.

"You've got a Zelda, too, right Warriors?" Wind added cheerfully.

"I do," he conceded, "A warrior queen if there ever was one. She's quite the tactician."

"You don't sound like you're smitten like our Cloudtop Boy over here," Legend smirked.

Warriors stretched, clasping his hands behind his head. "She's amazing, and undisputedly beautiful, but I haven't decided what I feel yet."

"But you feel something?" Twilight thought aloud.

"Something would definitely be the right word," Warriors chuckled. "What about you? Got a girl back home? When we were in your Hyrule it didn't seem like you and the princess were involved with each other much."

Twilight gave a pained smile. "I honestly don't know."

"Don't know?" Wind started. "How can you not know?"

"She went back to her realm before 'feelings' ever came up, and there's no way to get there now. Not that I've found, anyway." He sighed. "But she was incredible. Strong, smart, beautiful, and just the right amount of sassy. And a princess of her own kingdom to boot."

"She sounds like Tetra," Wind nodded.

"A princess of her own kingdom…?" Warriors screwed his face into a focused frown. "Wait, does she have orange hair?"

Twilight gave a start. "Yes, why?"

Warriors' concentration turned into a grin. "Midna."

Twilight inhaled so sharply he choked on his breath. "H-how do you know her name?"

"I've met her," Warriors laughed in disbelief. "The Twilight Realm, right? That's where you get your name from, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah it is," he sputtered, putting a hand to his head. "You mean to say that… that maybe…?"

Warriors nodded. Hyrule laughed jovially with the others as Twilight's face beamed with a shocked but renewed hope.

"Looks like you might just get your happy ending after all, pup," Time said, ruffling the man's hair with a smirk.

"Like you did?" Four added. "You and Malon click better than any pair I've met."

Time laughed. "It helps that she didn't spurn me immediately like the princess did." He smiled softly at his boots. "The princess was beautiful, but I've had lifetimes to fall in love with Malon, and I do it all over again every single day."

"That sounds like a fantastic happy ending," Hyrule mused.

"What about you, 'Rule?" Legend clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You've got _two_ Zeldas, don't you?"

Hyrule was half-hoping they wouldn't ask for the sake of his throbbing heart, but wasn't surprised that they did. Now that the gates were open, he wasn't going to resist the emotions any further.

"Queen Zelda and I don't interact much since I saved her," he began, "but Zelda the First is a different story."

"Zelda the First?" Wind puzzled. "Wait, I'm confused, why do you have two Zeldas again? And which is which?"

Hyrule chuckled thoughtfully. "When I was 12 I rescued the then-princess from Ganon, much like the rest of you did. She returned to her rule and became Queen not long after – she's almost ten years older than me, after all. But when I turned 16? That's when things got hairy."

"Aren't you only 18 now?" Time chuckled.

"Yeah, or somewhere around there." Hyrule didn't notice the others rolling their eyes. "Anyway, some things happened and Impa took me to the North Castle, where she told me the Legend of Zelda. Apparently, maybe like a century before my time, one of the kings of Hyrule didn't want his corrupt son to become a tyrant with the complete Triforce, so he hid the Triforce of Courage away and only told his daughter, Zelda, where it was. The prince didn't like that and had his advisor try and weasel it out of her with magic, but she wouldn't give in. The wizard ended up casting an eternal sleeping curse on her before promptly kicking the bucket, so there was no way to wake her up."

The party had come to a halt yet again, all eyes glued on Hyrule. As he continued, he felt his emotions swelling in his chest.

"The prince sealed her away in the castle in the hopes that one day, someone would retrieve the Triforce of Courage and use it to break the curse." He clasped his left hand with his right. "I knew I had to find it, not just for the princess, but for the kingdom. Hyrule needed a complete Triforce to rebuild. But before I could go, Impa took me to the Chamber of the Princess."

Hyrule could remember that moment as if it were happening as he spoke. The doors of the sealed chamber slid open, light cascading through the intricate skylight in rays of blue and white. In the center of the room, a stone pedestal stood, the legends of heroes past carved into the base with stunning precision. On the pedestal lay a girl not much older than himself, her delicate frame clad in a layered silk gown of pinks and whites. Her sunny, auburn curls draped elegantly over her shoulders and across the cold marble. Time had stood still in that moment, and something beautiful had begun in his heart.

"Things changed for me after that," he continued, closing his eyes with a soft smile. "The kingdom was important, but she was always in my thoughts. Every fight, every puzzle, every dream… she was there. And when I finally succeeded, I…"

He trailed off, reliving his most treasured memory as his heart threatened to burst. Her eyes had fluttered open as she took her first breath in decades. He'd watched in open-mouthed awe as she awoke, rising slowly and shakily from her bed of stone, dazedly coming to her senses, and eventually meeting his gaze. Blue eyes. He'd seen those blue eyes in his sleep, peering at him pleadingly. And now, those eyes met his own with a shimmer of gratitude.

"She knew who I was when she awoke," he said softly. "She had watched my journey from her dreams, and she tried to rush to me the moment she got to her feet. I don't think she realized she might not be able to walk just yet." He chuckled. "I caught her as she stumbled, and…"

The feel of her in his arms flooded his mind and his eyes slid closed once again. So delicate, so beautiful, her weakened frame trembling in his embrace. She'd sobbed into his chest as he held her close, tears pricking at his eyes. When the drops finally fell, they mingled with hers – tears of _joy_.

_You've saved Hyrule,_ she had said. _You're a hero._

He'd grinned. _I did it to save __**you.**_

Her delicate hands had cupped his jaw, her overwhelming gratitude pouring from her heart right into his, as she pulled him into a kiss.

And _that_ – that was something too special to share.

"Sounds like you've found your happy ending, too," Sky sang pleasantly. He sighed, gazing up at the clouds in contentment. "Will we get to meet her? If we end up in your time?"

Hyrule put a hand to his pouch. Inside, he felt a small, square lump. His heart swelled.

"Definitely."


End file.
